Ramadaan Math Activity: Measurement

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

As preparations for iftar take place, young toddlers may often wish to assist. This is an opportune time to introduce fractions and measurement to your young helper.  

Using a poster board and your measuring cups and spoons, trace each cup and spoon onto construction paper. You may wish to make all of the cups one colour and all of the spoons one distinct colour. Cut out the cup and spoon outlines and glue them on to the poster board. Label each cup and spoon with its appropriate measurement (i.e. one half of a cup, one teaspoon, etc.).

To do the activity with your child:

• Do the activity over a period of two to three days (depending on your child)
• For example: On day 1, place all of the measuring cups in a basket. Take the poster board and basket and invite your child to join you. 
• Briefly mention what measuring cups are used for and how they help us when we cook or bake. Also point out the difference between cups and spoons - how are they different, how are they alike?
• Slowly and silently, match all of the measuring cups to the correct outline. Intentionally mismatch a cup (or two) and show the child how you self-correct (i.e. you place a cup that is too small to be 1 cup on the outline for 1 cup. Sit for a second and look at the cup and move it around a bit to show that it does not match. Try the cup elsewhere until you find the correct outline. Place the cup on the correct outline).
• Place all of the cups back into the basket but not stacked in order. Just place them in the basket out of order. 
• Invite the child to match the cups. 

• On day 2 repeat the same procedure with the measuring spoons. 

After the child has mastered matching the measuring cups and spoons on the board, invite them to do another activity with the board. Say: "[child's name] I need one third of a cup please" and allow the child to find the 1/3 cup. Continue in this way until you have asked the child for all of the measuring cups (or spoons) and he/she has correctly given you the cup (or spoon) you asked for.

If the child gives you the incorrect cup (or spoon) use the board to show them where the correct cup (or spoon) is and ask the child to place the cup they have in their hand on that spot. Ask: "Is that [size of cup or spoon you asked for]?" Point out the attributes that tell you it is not the correct cup or spoon (i.e. this cup is too big; this cup is too small, the handle on this cup is not long enough, etc.) Allow the child to find the correct cup (or spoon).

When the child has finished working with this activity you can place the board on the refrigerator for reference. When your child is helping you cook or bake, ask the child to pass you the measuring cups or spoons you need. If they need assistance, direct them to the board on the refrigerator for help. Invite them to match the cup or spoon in their hand to the outline on the board to verify they have the right cup or spoon insha'Allaah.

Later, when you feel your child is ready, write the fractions that represent the measurements of each cup and spoon on the outlines on the board. Show your child these fractions on the cups and spoons themselves. At this stage, it is enough just to show the child how we write 1/3, 1/4, etc. with numbers. 


Enjoy insha'Allaah!

Easy Ramadaan Activity

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

Alhamdulillaah, colouring activities can help parents snatch a few extra moments to get things done. During Ramadaan, this is especially helpful when you'd like to read Quraan or engage in other acts of 'ibadaadah.

Parents (or your artistically inclined older child) can make custom colouring pages for little ones. You don't have to be an artist and the task of drawing is surprisingly relaxing. As your focus deepens you can really begin to enjoy the process.

One way to make custom colouring pages it to take a scene from a picture book (or your imagination - or both!) and draw it (free-hand or trace it). Without much work, you've got a custom colouring page that your children can work on while you read Quran or engage in other acts of 'idbadah. 


This is a drawing that was done using the imagination and a picture book illustration (click on the pictures to get a better view):

And this is the picture when coloured in:

You can add clipart to give your picture a different effect:

 
You don't have to be an artist and the picture doesn't have to be perfect because this is an activity that has only one goal: fun!

Enjoy insha'Allaah!

A Ramadaan Gift Bag (that will travel insha'Allaah!)

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

Sometimes I receive correspondence from people who have ideas that are just delightful masha'Allaah! Here is an example of one of those delightful ideas:

The idea: A gift will be bought and put into the felt gift bag pictured on the right. The person who receives the gift will remove their gift and then place a different gift into the bag and pass the bag on to a new/different person. The next person who receives the gift bag will remove their gift, place another gift inside of the bag and pass the bag on to another/different person. This will continue throughout the month of Ramadaan insha'allaah. This idea seems like a nice way to give Sadaqah (charity) during Ramdaan or to give a gift seeking the reward from Allaah Alone. 

الَّذِي يُؤْتِي مَالَهُ يَتَزَكَّىٰ   

وَمَا لِأَحَدٍ عِندَهُ مِن نِّعْمَةٍ تُجْزَىٰ

إِلَّا ابْتِغَاءَ وَجْهِ رَبِّهِ الْأَعْلَىٰ

وَلَسَوْفَ يَرْضَىٰ

He who spends his wealth for increase in self-purification,

And who has (in mind) no favour from anyone to be paid back,

Except to seek the Countenance of his Lord, the Most High.

He surely will be pleased (when he enters Paradise).

{سورة الليل 18-21}

A Muslim Child is Born was happy to participate by making the gift bag to help with this idea. The bag will be delivered to those who initiated the idea and they will insert a gift into the bag and pass it on insha'Allaah. 

Sewn into the inside of the gift bag is a little card (the card is in Arabic and in English) that tells the person that the gift inside is for them.

 
The card also asks the recipient to visit A Muslim Child is Born and leave a comment in this post so we can all follow the gift bag as it travels. All the recipients need to do is simply leave a comment saying their city and province/country/state they are in (For example: Riyadh, KSA). Note: You can leave a comment anonymously (i.e. there is no need to put your name if you do not wish. All that is being asked is that you tell which city and province/state/country the bag is in when you receive it.)


Insha'Allaah this little bag will travel from hand to hand (or even mailbox to mailbox) during Ramadaan bearing gifts from those seeking reward from Allaah during this blessed month.

May Allaah accept from all who participate!

Ramadaan Craft: Every Day A Good Deed

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

These envelopes are to help in doing good deeds each day in Ramadaan insha'Allaah. Made of felt, they have simple decorations on the front and open and close with Velcro.

Suggested use: 

Each night, the family decides together which good deed will be written on a card. Each person will try their best to do this good deed the next day insha'Allaah. 

The envelope, with the good deed card inside, is placed in the circle time area (or any area of your choosing) and the next day the family gathers and takes the card out and reads it to remind everyone about that days good deed goal.

If you have a good deed chart that you use for Ramadan, you can use these envelopes and cards with such a chart. 


Alternatively, the parents can decide upon an appropriate goal for their child(ren) to try to accomplish and write a new goal on a card each day and place the card in the envelope. 


The next morning, the child opens his/her envelope and with parent's help (or not), he/she reads his good deed goal for that day. When he/she accomplishes that goal, parents can decide how that will be noted and/or tracked.

 Making the envelopes is very simple alhamdulillaah. 

1. Take a piece of paper and draw an outline of an open envelope. See an example here.
2. Cut it out and use this as your pattern for the felt. 
3. Place the template/pattern on the felt and using chalk, trace the envelope pattern onto the felt. 
4. Cut the felt envelope out and sew or glue the edges closed (remember: do not sew or glue the top flap closed). 
5.  Decide upon your decorations (or allow your child(ren) to decorate their envelopes for themselves), design cards for the envelopes and you're done insha'Allaah! For the cards that go inside of the envelopes you can use simple, unlined index cards and invite the children to decorate the perimeter. Remind them to leave space in the middle for the writing.

Enjoy insha'Allaah!

*Please note: During Ramadaan comments will be turned off/disabled.*

Ramadaan Mubarak!

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

Month of Rahmah and Forgiveness 

 ~ Friday, 1st of Ramadaan = July 20th, 2012 ~ 

The Prophet used to congratulate his Companions at the beginning of Ramadhaan, saying: “O people! The month of Ramadhaan has come to you, a blessed month for the duration of which Allaah has prescribed fasting for you. In it the gates of Paradise are open, the gates of Hellfire are shut, and the devils are chained up. There is a night [during this month] which is better than a thousand months. Whoever is deprived of its good is really deprived [of something great].” 

[The] Moon was Sighted in Saudia and Qatar 

The Prophet Said: “A caller calls out every night: 'O seeker of good, draw near; come to Allaah! O seeker of evil, desist!' Allaah will have emancipated some people from the Fire, and that happens every night.” [At-Tirmithi, Al-Bayhaqi, and Ibn Hibbaan] 

Announcement information from Al-Baseerah.org

Downlaoding Ramadan Files: Bandwidth Exceeded Message

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

If you are trying to download files from the Ramadan section of the blog you may receive a message that says the bandwidth has been exceeded. The issue is being attended to. In the meantime,

You can download these Ramadan files below insha'Allaah:

كتاب النشاط لشهر رمضان

 Ramadan Activity Book (Yellow Cover)

Ramadan Activity Book (Blue Cover)

Ramadan Activity Book (No text)

Correction: page 66 English Activity Books only

 Baby's First Ramadan (Book)

Baby Reads Quraan in Ramadan (Book)

Baby Counts Dates in Ramadan (Book)

Sadaqah! Sadaqah! (Game)

Blank cards for Sadaqah! Sadaqah! Game

Dates and Dots (Game)

Ramadan Bookmarks

Date Palm Beginning Subtraction Game (Arabic Numbers)

Date Palm Beginning Subtraction Game (English Numbers)

 

Other files from the Ramadan Section will be added to this post soon insha'Allaah! If there is a file that you need that you do not see above, please leave a comment and insha'Allaah the file will be added today.

Gentle Reminder: No files or resources on this blog are to be altered in any way. This includes, but is not limited to: converting the files into other formats, modifying them, storing them on other servers, translating the files into another language, etc.

Jazakumallaahu Khayran

No pictures?

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

 If you have clicked on a post and see only text and no pictures, it is not your computer *smile*. Insha'Allaah, this issue should be resolved in a few days. All links to files should be fine insha'Allaah. If you experience any difficultly downloading a file please leave a comment or click on the "Contact Me" link on the side bar on the right and indicate the name of the post and file. Insha'Allaah, I will do my best to assist you.

Jazakum Allaahu Khayran for your patience.

Easy to Make Montessori Math Activity

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

This is a Montessori math activity that can be made for the home or classroom quickly and easily. This activity teaches young children about numbers and how they are represented visually(quantitatively), symbolically and in written form.

After being taught what Quantity means and what a Symbol is and how we use Writing to show numbers, children are invited to use cards like those pictured on the left and below to master the concepts insha'Allaah.

Starting with the row that says Quantity, children find the card that shows a quantity of zero (if your child has already been taught about zero - if not start with the number one). They place the card under the row that says "Quantity". They then find the card that shows the symbol that represents zero (or one) and place it under the row/card that says "Symbol".  Lastly, they find the card that shows how zero (or one) is represented in written form. The child continues in the same way mentioned above for all of the numbers 1-10.

This is an activity that can be used during the school year and it can also be an activity to help children review previously learned math concepts over the summer break insha'Allaah.

This activity can be found on the Internet in English but if you wish to make your own in a language other than English you can use this template to do so insha'Allaah. For example, if you visit Montessori Print Shop you can find a free download in English but you would need to verify if there are pictures that have facial features on the cards.

Enjoy insha'Allaah!

Three Green Books, Three Wonderful Stories

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

Summertime is a great opportunity for teachers and parents to begin building or adding to an already existing library for their classroom or home (or both!). This summer, you may wish to browse the aisles of your local library and check out three green books. Each book is full of eye-catching illustrations (or photographs) and within the pages of each book there awaits a story or poem that young children may sincerely enjoy insha'Allaah.

A Leaf Can Be . . .
by Laura Purdie Salas

This book takes children on an adventure to discover what role leaves play in our environment throughout the year. The illustrations glow and captivate the eye. Some of the text may require some explanation as children may not be familiar with such words as "welt" or "concealer" but the story is enjoyable none the less.

Green

By Laura Vaccaro Seeger

'Green' is an artful exploration of the many shades of the colour green. As they turn each page, children may find considerable enjoyment in the die-cut pages that reveal just how many shades of green there are. This author is noted for her ability to create engaging books with vivid colours but please be aware that some of her books are not suitable for Muslim children. In particular "First the Egg" is Islamically inappropriate.

Step Gently Out

by Helen Frost and Rick Lieder

Detailed photographs show the natural world and some of Allaah's tinniest creation. Alhamdulillaah many of the photographs are taken from behind the insects and butterflies so that you do not see the facial features. The poem that accompanies these photos is gentle and it encourages the reader to be an inquisitive, alert observer of the world they live in. It is a poem that lends itself to being read aloud again and again. If you plan to do a unit on insects next year or you find that the summer break presents a wonderful time to explore the environment with your littlest ones, this book may be a delightful prelude to the journey.

Enjoy insha'Allaah!

Making New Games from Old or Extra Games

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

By the end of any given school year you can end up with multiples of different games, toys, and manipulatives.  Some of these extras can be recycled to make a new game or activity.

An example is an abacus. If you have several abaci, pick the one whose sides are widest. Gently remove one of the sides and slide all of the beads off. Place the base with the dowels facing up (see below) and place the beads in a basket.

Using strips of paper, draw circles that are the same colour as the beads from the abacus in different patterns. Invite children to complete the patterns on the abacus. After the child has completed several patterns correctly, invite him/her to draw new patterns and complete them or invite them to make new patterns for a sibling to complete.

IMPORTANT: When playing this game with toddlers, parental supervision is required as the dowels, while not sharp, can hurt a child if they are poked by them.

What are some ways you recycle your extra or no longer needed materials from previous school years?